I just picked up a POTC and have one problem with it. When balls are to be auto-lauched (i.e. multiball or ball saver), the ball gets kicked up into the shooter lane, but the auto launch will only hit the ball very weakly (it moves about 1 inch). Thus I have to manually plunge every ball.

Checked the coil sleeve and it seems ok.

Best ideas on what the problem is?

Also, if I need a new solenoid coil, could anyone provide me tips on how to change it? I can take the assembly apart no problem but it seems like the wires are soldered on to the coil. How to I take the wires off and how to I install the new coil?

Sorry for such a newb question, but this is my first coil issue. Any assistance would be really appreciated!

Thanks LTG. The particular coil has no diodes so that is good.

The mechanism seems ok. Same with the sleeve. It was dirty and I cleaned it, but that did not help. It slides fine.

Yeah, it is a stern and it says no diode.

The coil fires every time. The auto plunger sometimes only goes 1/2 way forward. Sometimes fully. But regardless, the ball barely moves. Even when it goes fully forward, the ball moves maybe 1 inch.

Shooter lane switch works fine. Playfield is level. Coil wiring seems solid.

When I move the auto plunger forward manually, it seems to be smooth (no binding).

Any thoughts or ideas? Things to test? Maybe potential issues with the plunger mechanism itself? Or would it be the coil? Like I said, it fires every time, but seems to lack all power.

It worked fine the day before yesterday...

And the ball rests completely against the launch mechanism.

I am 95% sure I have figured out the problem. Coil is fine. But part of the auto plunge mechanism broke. Its the small blue ring (it connects the post with the spring on it to the auto plunge mechanism). It broke in half. Thus, when the coil was firing, it was only allowing the mech to fall down - it could not "pull" it down. Thus there was no power to the plunge. Makes sense to me.

I'll try to crazy glue the piece together to test it, then order a new blue part.

Thanks for everyone's help and input!

Yup. That was the problem. Plunger fires now as it should.